HB 846

relating to a parental leave policy for certain school district
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1.  Subchapter I, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 21.416 to read as follows:
Sec. 21.416.  PARENTAL LEAVE FOR CERTAIN CLASSROOM TEACHERS.
(a)  The board of trustees of a school district shall adopt a policy
providing that a classroom teacher who has been employed by the
district for fewer than 12 months or who worked fewer than 1,250
hours during the 12-month period preceding the beginning of the
leave under this section is eligible to take a parental leave of
absence not to exceed 12 weeks in accordance with this section if
the teacher has been employed as a classroom teacher by any district
in this state for at least 12 months and at least 1,250 hours during
the 12-month period preceding the beginning of the leave.
(b)  The classroom teacher must first use all available and
applicable paid vacation and sick leave while taking the leave, and
the remainder of the leave is unpaid.
(c)  The leave authorized by this section is limited to, and
begins on the date of, the birth of a natural child of the employee
or the adoption by or foster care placement with the employee of a
SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026
SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2025.